Mineral Spirits, Acetone, Denatured Alcohol?

camerio · Post by **camerio** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:30 pm

[quote="JPG40504"]Any reason they cannot 'mail' it to you? Identify it as machine tool preservative/lubricant.]
Call me cheap or poor, but I am not in a hurry, I still have some left.
I thought I could save shipping.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 4:59 pm

camerio wrote:Call me cheap or poor, but I am not in a hurry, I still have some left.
I thought I could save shipping.

Practical and frugal come to mind!;)

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:00 pm

Minwax finishing wax is available in Canada and you may want to try it as a substitute for Johnsons wax. I've used minwax wax for many years and it works just fine. I have Johnsons wax, but just don't use it. All I know is that Minwax wax works for me, with the headstock and carriage moving easily after being waxed. I use it on my cast iron table saw and everything else that needs a slippery surface.

camerio · Post by **camerio** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:15 pm

pennview wrote:Minwax finishing wax is available in Canada and you may want to try it as a substitute for Johnsons wax. I've used minwax wax for many years and it works just fine. I have Johnsons wax, but just don't use it. All I know is that Minwax wax works for me, with the headstock and carriage moving easily after being waxed. I use it on my cast iron table saw and everything else that needs a slippery surface.

I will follow your advice, but I was lead to believe that there was something in the Minwax finishing wax that was not recommended on metals like aluminum.
Anyway, thanks.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:32 pm

camerio wrote:I will follow your advice, but I was lead to believe that there was something in the Minwax finishing wax that was not recommended on metals like aluminum.
Anyway, thanks.

The minwax finishing wax I have(and used) is firmer than the jpw and is not as easy to distribute.

I do not think it is as 'slick' when buffed.

It is the slickness that distinguished the original formula and is the redeeming attribute for our purpose. It is also the slickness that almost got it banned here and apparently up north.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:48 pm

The only ingredient listed on the Minwax Finishing Wax Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is mineral spirits (paint thinner). So I'm guessing that that is all that's in the can besides wax.

Here's the MSDS -- http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfIma ... |100376194

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:36 am

heathicus wrote:What am I cleaning? Aluminum table surfaces (Shopsmiths, my Craftsman table saw), cast iron (jointer, older SS bandsaw table), etc. When I stored my tools, I put a coat of Johnson's Paste wax on everything cast iron and just left it. No buffing. I don't recall putting anything on the aluminum surfaces. Although I've been using them a little to build shelves and such in the shop, I haven't yet given them a thorough cleaning and re-waxing/buffing.

Kalynzoo gave the best general advice on cleaners. I especially like his addition of Napha which I use a lot.
For cleaning the SS I would just use Johnson paste wax unless the surface was really really dirty. Then I would use either mineral spirits or napha, with Napha being my first choice.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:05 pm

JPG, if the Minwax Finishing Wax you have is firmer than the Johnsons wax, you must have let if dry out. Add a small amount of paint thinner to soften.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:43 pm

My box of Tic-Tac's list one of ingredients as "carnauba wax... No wonder they "shine" at their job...

.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:48 pm

pennview wrote:JPG, if the Minwax Finishing Wax you have is firmer than the Johnsons wax, you must have let if dry out. Add a small amount of paint thinner to soften.

Been that way since the first opening. It is a bit strange, in that once 'smushed', it spreads more easily. The same reaction occurs when getting it out of the can.

I will try adding thinner. The jpw does seem to be 'wetter'.

I use the minwax when I want a bit of color(it is dark). It seems to me to have a harder coat than jpw after thorough drying and buffing..